Adams accuses Tánaiste of ‘crass stupidity’ over Begg appointment

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams has accused Tánaiste Joan Burton of "absolute arrogance" and "crass stupidity" over her appointment of David Begg to a State board.

Ms Burton faces a motion of no confidence in the Dáil next week over her decision to bypass a competitive process and appoint the former trade union leader as chair of the Pensions Authority.

The Independent Alliance group of deputies has tabled the motion over what it described as Ms Burton's "blatant display of cronyism" in appointing Mr Begg, who is a former general secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.

Speaking in Dublin on Saturday following a meeting of the Sinn Féin ard comhairle, Mr Adams said Mr Begg was “not to blame on this”.

“Whether he’s wise to go ahead is another matter and a question absolutely for himself.

“But I think the arrogance of the Tánaiste is just staggering, that this is the Government which presented itself as being about transparency and reform and democratic revolution in cleaning up politics.

“The absolute arrogance, the crass stupidity. If she wanted to appoint anyone she could have done it through the procedures that are in place as opposed to doing it the way she did it.”

Ms Burton has defended the move, which she said was in line with guidelines on such appointments, and said Mr Begg was a person of considerable expertise.

Asked about Fine Gael and Labour's consideration of proposals to cap water charges and link them to inflation if returned to government, Mr Adams said his party would abolish the charges.

He said the water charges were “not fair” and were “invisible taxes”.

“That is not only the right thing to do in terms of fairness, but also in terms of people who can’t afford it.”

Mr Adams also said all Sinn Féin’s candidates and TDs were obliged to follow the party’s long-standing position on repealing the eighth amendment to the Constitution, which gives effect to the general prohibition on abortion.

“We are a democratic party. We come together to decide policy. Everybody who signs up to be a candidate is obliged to follow party policy,” he said.

What the party would do about anyone who failed to follow the policy was “another issue”, he said.

“But it’s very clear that the medical profession require the legal safeguard to do their jobs and women in pregnancy require support.”